The present invention relates to a picture recording apparatus and method, a picture reproducing apparatus and method, a picture recording/reproducing apparatus and method, and a recording medium which are capable of realizing natural reproduction of pictures with reduced incongruous appearances.
Due to the recent development and progress of the image processing technology, in a picture recording/reproducing apparatus, such as video cameras, it is possible now to achieve smooth reproduction of seamless pictures from a recording medium such as a tape or disk where moving pictures or still pictures are recorded successively.
Picture recording/reproducing apparatus such as video cameras currently available are equipped with a function to apply a special video effect of fade-in, fade-out or the like to a desired signal, and the signal is recorded with a process of fade-in, fade-out or the like executed by the above function at the start and end of shooting an object.
In the picture recording/reproducing apparatus known heretofore, operations are performed in such a manner that, in a recording mode, a fader button for example is depressed together with a recording button to thereby apply a special effect to an image signal and then the processed signal is recorded on a recording medium, and subsequently in a reproduction mode, the image signal is gradually faded in instead of being instantly turned up and then is gradually faded out at the end of the relevant image signal.
Meanwhile, in applying a special effect to recorded normal image signals, it has been customary according to the related art that two picture recording/reproducing apparatus such as video cameras or video tape recorders (VTRs) are prepared and, by the use of a device, a picture effector, for applying a special effect to the pictures in an editing mode, the pictures are edited while being dubbed between the two picture recording/reproducing apparatus. More concretely, a start point and an end point of a desired video signal are designated, and also a point and timing to generate a video effect by the picture effector are designated, and then video effects inclusive of fade-in and fade-out are applied by the picture effector with dubbing performed on the basis of such sequence data.
It is preferred that image signals representing the. contents recorded substantially in the same place and at the same time are reproduced seamlessly. However, if other image signals of totally different contents are reproduced seamlessly in succession to the preceding image signals, an unnatural impression may be given to a viewer with some incongruous feeling. For example, if the picture of a person shot in his house is suddenly changed to the picture of a quite different scene shot in his overseas journey, such abrupt change obviously brings about an unnatural impression.
According to the related art, it has been generally customary heretofore to avoid such a disadvantage by, in the above exemplary case, manipulating a fader button at the end of shooting in his house and/or at the beginning of a first recording operation in the overseas tour, or by editing the recorded contents in a dubbing mode using two picture recording/reproducing apparatus and a picture effector after complete termination of the recording on a recording medium, hence applying video effects of fade-in, fade-out and so forth at the changes of scenes.
However, when manipulating a fader button in a picture recording/reproducing apparatus, it is necessary, in a recording mode, to press both the recording button and the fader button, and this manipulation cannot be performed after completion of the recording on the recording medium. It is not exactly easy for the user to make a decision for pressing or not the fader button in the recording mode, and some intricate manipulation is concomitant therewith, so that this technique is not in practical use effectively. Meanwhile, the above method based on editing with dubbing after complete shooting necessitates preparation of expensive appliances and induces extreme intricacy with respect to installation, connection and manipulation of such appliances at the time of editing. Therefore, such method is adopted merely among a very small number of users in general homes.
The present invention has been accomplished in view of the circumstances mentioned. And it is an object of the present invention to provide a picture recording apparatus and method, a picture reproducing apparatus and method, a picture recording/reproducing apparatus and method, and a recording medium which are capable of realizing natural reproduction of pictures with reduced incongruous appearances with regard to picture signals recorded at various different places and times, while eliminating the necessity of performing any special manipulation in a recording mode and also the necessity of preparing particular expensive appliances.
In the present invention, the above object is achieved by detecting the time difference between the hour of generation of an image signal currently formed and the hour of generation of a preceding image signal, and then recording, on a recording medium, the image signal and predetermined data based on the result of such detection.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a picture recording apparatus comprising: an imaging means for generating an image signal of a desired object; a time difference detection means for detecting the time difference between the hour of generation of the current image signal and the hour of generation of a preceding image signal; and a recording means for recording, on a recording medium, the image signal obtained from the imaging means and also predetermined data based on the result of detection by the time difference detection means.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a picture recording method comprising the steps of: generating an image signal of a desired object; detecting the time difference between the hour of generation of the current image signal and the hour of generation of a preceding image signal; and recording, on a recording medium, the generated image signal and predetermined data based on the result of such detection.
In the present invention, the aforementioned object is achieved by applying a predetermined video effect to the video signal read out from a recording medium on the basis of predetermined data relative to the time difference read out from the recording medium.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a picture reproducing apparatus comprising: a read means for reading, from a recording medium, predetermined data relative to the time difference between a recording end hour of at least one picture and a recording start hour of a next picture, together with the video signal of the relevant pictures; a video effect generation means for applying a predetermined video effect to the read video signal; and an effect control means for controlling the video effect generation means in accordance with the predetermined data relative to the time difference.
According to a fourth aspect of the preset invention, there is provided a picture reproducing method comprising the steps of: reading, from a recording medium, predetermined data relative to the time difference between a recording end hour of one picture and a recording start hour of a next picture, together with the video signal of the relevant pictures; and applying a predetermined video effect to the read image signal in accordance with the predetermined data relative to the time difference.
In the present invention, the object is achieved by detecting, in a recording mode, the time difference between the hour of generation of an image signal and the hour of generation of a preceding image signal and then recording, on a recording medium, the image signal and predetermined data based on the result of such detection; and in a reproduction mode, applying a predetermined video effect to the image signal read out from the recording medium on the basis of the predetermined data obtained from the recording medium.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a picture recording/reproducing apparatus comprising: an imaging means for forming an image signal relative to the picture of a desired object; a time difference detection means for detecting the time difference between the hour of generation of the image signal thus formed and the hour of generation of the preceding image signal; a recording means for recording, on a recording medium, the image signal obtained from the imaging means and also predetermined data based on the result of detection by the time difference detection means; a read means for reading, from the recording medium, the predetermined data together with the image signal of the relevant picture; a video effect generation means for applying a predetermined video effect to the image signal thus read; and an effect control means for controlling the video effect generation means in accordance with the predetermined data.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a picture recording/reproducing method comprising the steps of: forming an image signal of a desired object; detecting the time difference between the hour of generation of the current image signal and the hour of generation of a preceding image signal; recording, on a recording medium, the generated image signal and predetermined data based on the result of such detection; reading the predetermined data from the recording medium together with the video signal of the relevant picture; and applying a predetermined video effect to the read image signal in accordance with the predetermined data.
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording medium wherein a plurality of video signals representing pictures are recorded, and also there are recorded data relative to the time difference between the recording end hour of one picture and the recording start hour of the next picture.
Thus, in the recording medium, a plurality of video signals representing pictures are recorded with data relative to the time difference between the recording end hour of one picture and the recording start hour of the next picture, so that when the video signals are reproduced, predetermined video effects inclusive of fade-in, fade-out and so forth can be applied thereto on the basis of the data relative to the time difference.
In the present invention, the aforementioned object is achieved by detecting the time difference between the recording end hour of at least one picture recorded in a recording medium and the recording start hour of the next picture, and then applying a predetermined video effect to the video signal read out from the recording medium on the basis of the result of such detection.
According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a picture reproducing apparatus comprising: a time difference detection means for detecting the time difference between the recording end hour of at least one picture recorded on a recording medium and the recording start hour of the next picture; a read means for reading out the video signals of the pictures recorded in the recording medium; a video effect generation means for applying a predetermined video effect to the read video signal; and an effect control means for controlling the video effect generation means in accordance with the detection result obtained from the time difference detection means.
And according to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a picture reproducing method comprising the steps of: detecting the time difference between the recording end hour of at least one picture recorded on a recording medium and the recording start hour of the next picture; and applying a predetermined video effect to the video signal of the picture read out from said recording medium in accordance with the detection result obtained with regard to the time difference.